What does NASCAR mean for a devoted fan? Bill France competing on a dusty beach in 1938, one might say. The King‘s 200th win, another might add. Whether it was Bobby Allison defeating his son at the finish line, or Dale Earnhardt Jr dedicating his victory to his legendary father, they all had one thing in common.

Since its inception, Daytona has been synonymous with motorsport racing in the country. It has been the season opener for decades. The track used to host the Fourth of July weekend races before the schedule was modified to make it the regular season finale. Now, NASCAR has reduced it to just another race in next year’s schedule. And Denny Hamlin is baffled by that thoughtless disregard of the track’s relevance and prestige.

Denny Hamlin rejects the Southern 500’s association with Labor Day

Long-held traditions are as intrinsic to NASCAR as pit stops for fuel refills and tire changes. The Southern 500 on Darlington Raceway was a Labor Day staple cherished by the racing community. Fans were incensed when the sudden decision to move the race to California was taken. Over a decade later, NASCAR reneged on that, and the race came back to Darlington in 2015. However, the officials were faced with a conundrum for the next season.

The scheduling shifts to incorporate additional tracks placed the regular season finale on the Labor Day weekend. The racing body had two options: Either uphold the glory of the regular season finale at the Daytona International Speedway or ensure the Labor Day coincided with the race in Darlington. According to Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Denny Hamlin, NASCAR chose the wrong one.

In his podcast Actions Detrimental, a furious Hamlin questioned, “Who gives a f**k about that? I don’t get it! They are putting emphasis on people really care about, ‘Well, I’m going to Darlington because this is Labor Day weekend.’ No, you’re going to Darlington because you live in the area and you like NASCAR racing.”

Even if they tilted toward tradition, breaking one in favor of another seems counterintuitive to the #19 driver. Hamlin exclaimed, “Putting Daytona as the last regular season race was the best thing we’ve done in a long time with our schedule […] And now, I just can’t make sense of the change of not just moving it out but moving it one week.” The veteran racer felt the season ending with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 was crucial for the playoffs as well.

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Hamlin explained, “It just gave everyone 25 races to point your way in. And if you just think, kind of get there on points, you got that one race at the end to try. And then you got the bubble people, ‘Holy sh’t! I hope someone new doesn’t win’.” The magic of Daytona conjured precisely that situation when the iconic race first shifted from Independence Day to the season finale in 2020.

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This season’s playoff leader William Byron had not won a Cup Series race before the regular season finale in 2020. A few Top 10 finishes would not have been enough to qualify for the playoffs. But the Daytona International Speedway has transformed many racing careers in its prestigious history. And Byron’s is no different.

The Coke Zero Sugar 400’s new placement as the last race before the elimination rounds came as a boon for Hendrick Motorsports‘ #24 driver. The upcoming racer used the unpredictability of the superspeedway to his advantage and registered his first career Cup win on the famous track to qualify for the playoffs.

Not only that, through his unexpected win, the seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson lost his spot and failed to qualify for the playoffs. 3x Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin is well-versed in the magnificence and mayhem of this race track and fervently believes NASCAR should not have interfered with its historically earned place.

The debate between the Southern 500 and the Coke Zero 400 may never reach its logical conclusion, but the track’s enigmatic connection with the sport is everlasting. After all, what does NASCAR mean for a die-hard fan? It would always mean Daytona.

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